CES 2013: Ion’s “Scratch 2 Go” Stick-On iPad Controls

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is a classic run-up to the Winter NAMM convention – which often means for companies that have booths at both, they’re spilling their DJ goods at both. Nothing mind-blowing just yet, Ion Audio’s Scratch 2 Go iPad controls are in the running for most unique DJ product released in 2013 so far.

The Scratch 2 Go kit comes with a crossfader, three EQ knobs, and two jogwheels – all of which have a capacitive suction cup on the bottom that allows your actions on the hardware to translate to a touch on the iPads screen.

The kit requires the iDJ 2GO app by Ion, but 9to5mac is reporting that it will also function properly with Algoriddim’s djay app for iPad.

No word yet on if there will be compatibility with other popular iOS DJ interfaces like Liine’s Lemur or TouchOSC; or if there are any plans to expand beyond iOS.

Check out YouTube user jkahnjkahn‘s video from the CES 2013 floor of the Scratch 2 Go kit in use:

It seems a bit regressive – but this kit highlights what the “touch revolution” of DJing continues to miss – real physical feedback and hardware to manipulate audio playback.

I thought about this a few years ago. I have the drawings and notes in my notebook. Why, oh why, didn’t I do something about it then? I would be well on my way to being rich and famous. Bugger!

rafiq

This isn’t so much a new concept, but more of a new application. I’ve been using the Ten1 Fling to control an effects joystick on an iPad lemur template I made for some time now. I’ll post up a video of it when I get the chance.

Spacecamp

Indeed – it’s the first time we’ve seen it specifically in an application for DJs though. What did you normally have the Fling mapped to in terms of effects? I’m intrigued : )

There’s a lot of possibilities. At the moment, I have it so you can customize it on the fly with 4 drop down menus at the top which let you assign any of Traktor’s effects to the 4 axises of the joystick. So for instance, I can have +Y add in reverb and +X add in a delay making a changing echo effect as I move the joystick in the outer right quadrant. The rest of the layout is essentially a replication of the DJM-2000 beat slicer, but made for Traktor, along with a few other twists I added in ;). It’s a great ton of fun to use; can really go bananas slicing and glitching up acapellas or beats on the fly. The layout’s changed and evolved a lot over time, though when I’m completely happy with it I’ll post it up in the mappings here.

The Fling had totally passed me by until I read your posts here, rafiq. I’ve now got one ordered and I’m excited to get it incorporated into my Lemur setup. Cheers!

rafiq

Glad I could help. It has a very solid feel, much like an xbox 360 controller. My only gripe is the range is somewhat limited, though the beauty of Lemur and TouchOSC is that you can compensate for that :)

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